Researchers have consistently pointed to positive links between sport, physical activity, health and wellbeing amongst marginalized population groups. This paper concentrates on a group about which little is presently known in terms of these links – Indigenous women in Australia. The catalyst for this focus is twofold: demographic data that, while sparse, suggests that this group has very low levels of participation in sport and associated physical activity; and second, a recent parliamentary inquiry into Indigenous sport in which the participation of women featured in several submissions. Both data sets confirm that Indigenous women are significantly underrepresented in the Australian sporting landscape. There is no systematic knowledge about why this is so. The present study contributes to that small body of literature by considering (a) evidence about participation rates of Indigenous women in sport; and (b) the aspirations of sport organizations to attract Indigenous women into their programs.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	sport, Indigenous, women, inquiry
Research Division:	Human Society
Research Group:	Sociology
Research Field:	Social change
Objective Division:	Culture and Society
Objective Group:	Sport, exercise and recreation
Objective Field:	Organised sports
UTAS Author:	Maxwell, H (Dr Hazel Maxwell)
UTAS Author:	Stronach, M (Dr Megan Stronach)
ID Code:	114104
Year Published:	2017
Deposited By:	Health Sciences
Deposited On:	2017-02-06
Last Modified:	2018-09-12
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